Gardening Safely and Efficiently

As the summer months go by, many of us find ourselves in our gardens weeding, planting, and maintaining. Now is a great time to make sure you’re not just making your garden beautiful, you’re making sure you’re doing it safely and efficiently. I’ve included a few tips to make sure you’re making the most of your tasks outside.

Stretch before starting digging.

Use a kneeler or knee pads to prevent sore knees while working at ground level.

Bend your knees rather than your back. Do a little at a time and if you get a twinge of pain, STOP, it is ‘the’ warning shot!

The greatest danger when gardening is staying in the same position too long – move!

DON’T pull weeds with their legs straight. Bend at the knees and use your arm and leg strength to pull the weed. Find a spot to sit on the ground so you don’t repetitively bend and lift your body weight.

Don’t be a hero! Use a wheel barrow, or if you don’t have one, open the bag and move smaller quantities at once.

Wear supportive shoes! Gardening is hard work and can place a lot of strain on your feet. Supportive shoes help your feet absorb some of the stress that would otherwise be transferred to your back.

Don’t try to do the entire garden in one stroke. Break the day up into smaller bits so you can give your back a rest. Use the breaks to re-hydrate, eat some nutritious food, or just to kick back and survey the fruits of your hard work.

When you have finished the work, stretching is equally vital!

As always, remember to stay hydrated and try not to work during the hours of peak sun exposure (between 10am and 4pm). Enjoy the rest of your month and I look forward to seeing you at your next visit 🙂